RU2697439C2 - Ceramic rupture domed membrane for pressure control - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: soil or rock drilling; mining.SUBSTANCE: disclosed is a single-use pipeline shutter actuated by pressure, selectively withstanding fluid pressure from one side of the device until remote release of the gate, wherein the device is a fragile dome-shaped membrane configured to withstand pressure of fluids on one side, but rupture after applying a higher pressure on its other side, which provides a mechanism for isolation of well fluid medium under high pressure in part of well during operations for period of time, selected by operator, and then removes insulation by remote destruction of breaking dome-shaped membrane by means of application of additional pressure of fluid medium or other forces from surface. Frangible dome-shaped membrane has elements in at least one surface for direction and control of its destruction to provide fragments of controlled sizes and shapes and predicted opening for creation of pipe with minimum obstacles after destruction.EFFECT: technical result is to increase the efficiency of the device.11 cl, 4 dwg

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in General, relates to a pressure-activated valve or a single-use valve, selectively withstanding the pressure of the fluid on one side of the device, until the valve is removed remotely. The specified receive, performing the device in the form of a brittle dome-shaped membrane, which can withstand high pressure on the one hand, but must be torn under the action of high pressure on its other side. The bursting dome-shaped membrane provides a mechanism for isolating the borehole fluid under high pressure at the initial stage of work in the drill string in the borehole for a period of time that the driller or operator can select, and then remove the insulation when the bursting-domed membrane is destroyed remotely by applying additional pressure fluid or other forces from the surface.

These operations are useful in directional, horizontal or directional wells during tripping under pressure, extraction of bridge plugs or zone separation operations in combination with packers and / or completion columns. The dome-shaped membrane of this device provides pressure isolation for operations carried out vertically and not vertically, while opening can be carried out without a cable line, and can be used in conjunction with other equipment, such as assembly units, which include fit elements for extraction or other functions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In repair, completion, or maintenance operations in a directional well, in some cases it is important to be able to seal the tubing string to isolate the wellbore or other overpressure zone of the wellbore.

In the past, end plugs were used for a tubing during the descent of a tubing into a borehole under pressure, the plugs were usually a metal or aluminum disk attached to the bottom of the tubing string for pressure drainage, and then metal was removed a disk from the tubing string at the bottom or near the bottom of the bottom of the well. An example can be found in US patent 244,042, Farrar (1881). There is an undesirable effect of leaving metal at the bottom of the bottom of the wellbore, which is difficult or expensive to remove and which may interfere with further drilling or other work. These devices were only lowered into the well from below the tubing string.

Another mechanism that can be seen in some cases is the use of the Otis® nipple, which consists of numerous profiles for receiving various plugging devices fed into the well on an auxiliary cable. These mechanisms provide one plug, and although they make it possible to uncork and re-plug, the plug feeding mechanism is limited, that is, difficulties may arise in removing the plug plugs from the shafts of deep directional or horizontal wells, and it may not be possible to lower them under pressure and relocate at not vertical orientation. Additionally, if the installation of such a cork fails during the work, the cable cork can become a destructive projectile, and two cable corks cannot be installed or can be installed with difficulty in the process or for work. Similarly, multi-profile landing nipples for receiving various plugs are manufactured under the Baker® trade.

Explosive dome-shaped membranes are used in similar situations in the well. For example, a system providing “Unbreakable Pressure Seals” is disclosed in Canadian Patent Application 2,228,728, Frazier (CA-728). In this case, ceramic shells with an annular seating surface and radial curvature are proposed as breaking seals for inclusion in the bottomhole assembly assembly. In CA-728, the ceramic disk is made in the correct arcuate shape (in cross section) to create maximum pressure resistance. CA-728 is configured to provide a strong barrier to fluid pressure, but with punching functionality when equipped with a fracturing agent implemented in a well (such as a rod discharged through a tubing). This design solution is unacceptable, for example, in an inclined or non-vertical tubing in the wellbore, since the rod or breaking tool may lose its ability to move under the action of gravity only, if the vertical section of the wellbore is not long, or if the curvature of the oblique channel reduces the speed of movement of the breaking tool (or impact force). Additionally, in the case of rupture of dome-shaped membranes at 728, the resulting passage may have an irregular shape and throttle the fluid flow in the channel of the tubing passing through the remains of the dome-shaped membrane. Also, the fragments obtained may have an irregular shape or be so large that they can interfere with the operation of the joints, drilling or adversely affect other borehole characteristics or operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To minimize some of the problems of the prior art, the bursting dome-shaped membrane of the present invention is made of a brittle material with a specific dome shape with moderate bending and including elements in at least one dome-shaped surface that direct and regulate the fragmentation of the dome-shaped membrane when it breaks, so that fragments of a bursting dome-shaped membrane have a controlled size and shape, made with the possibility of preventing clogging or stuck in the wellbore us or any related equipment. An unbreakable dome-shaped membrane can be made of a material such as any ceramic, glass, cast metal, soluble substances or any suitable material, if they do not react with negative consequences or do not interact, causing damage to the well or related equipment.

In an embodiment, a bursting dome-shaped membrane for use as a destructible seal for a pipe formed by a tubing made of destructible material, which includes:

but. round-shaped body with a cross-section of a domed shape with

1. convex side

2. concave side

3. attached peripheral support ring for installation on the seal on the inside of the tubing or fitting on the tubing;

b. one side having a combination of elements made in its surface for the direction of destruction of the bursting dome-shaped membrane;

with. a body portion formed between the convex side and the concave side, forming a destructible portion that is brittle, configured to withstand high pressure of the fluid applied to the convex side, and fracture when the pressure of the fluid applied to the concave side exceeds a certain threshold value;

d. wherein the destructible part upon destruction as a result of applying pressure to the concave side exceeding the threshold value is configured to break into predetermined fragments formed at least partially by elements included in its surface;

e. The domed membrane can also be destroyed using mechanical or other forces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1 shows a top and side view of a bursting dome-shaped membrane.

In FIG. 2, a side view of a bursting dome-shaped membrane shows an embodiment of groove and thrust protrusion designs.

In FIG. 3 and 3a show a cross section of the bursting dome-shaped membrane of FIG. 2 along line A-A, in FIG. 3a is an expanded detailed illustration of an embodiment of a milled groove structure made by a spherical end mill on the upper surface of a bursting dome-shaped membrane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a bursting dome-shaped membrane 100 for use as a destructible seal in an assembly (not shown). The bursting dome-shaped membrane 100 is formed with an outer periphery, the edge 10 of which is inserted snugly into the assembly (not shown) and sealed to the assembly, thereby sealing the internal channel of the fluid pipe (not shown), such as a tubing string for use in the well. In General, this invention is intended for the oil and gas industry, and, more specifically, for pressure control during operations associated with oil or gas wells, and, more specifically, directional or non-vertical wells.

The bursting dome-shaped membrane 100 is made of a brittle material, such as ceramic. It has a domed shape, with a recessed or concave side 20 and a convex side 30. The bending of the concave side 20 and the convex side 30 in the embodiment is the same or equivalent, which makes the thickness of the curved body 40 of the domed membrane relatively constant.

Depending on the diameter of the bursting dome-shaped membrane 100, the thickness and curvature of the body 40 of the dome-shaped membrane must be different, due to the ability to withstand the pressure of the fluid in a given range on one side (applied to the convex side 30) and break or rupture at a different but predetermined threshold pressure value on the other hand (attached to the concave side 20). In this way, the seal provided by the bursting dome-shaped membrane 100 in the assembly assembly sealed to the tubing can be supported, isolating the tubing section from the rest of the well, until a pressure that is higher than the design bursting pressure is applied to the concave side 20 .

In a preferred embodiment, the bursting dome-shaped membrane is capable of withstanding 10,000 psi (69 MPa) from the convex side 30, bearing high pressure without fracture, but fracture or rupture when the pressure on the other (concave) side 20 exceeds the pressure on the other ( convex) side 30 to 10-15% of the maximum pressure that the convex side of the domed membrane can withstand. In one embodiment, the pressurized domed membrane can withstand a pressure drop where the pressure on the convex sides is the same as or up to 10,000 psi (69 MPa) greater than the pressure on the concave side before rupture, but the pressurized domed membrane is designed such that it can withstand a pressure drop if the pressure on the concave side is 1,500 psi (10 MPa) higher than the pressure on the convex side, but should burst if the specified pressure drop exceeds It is 1,500 psi (10 MPa) (these figures are given as an example and are an approximation of the preferred embodiment). This means that if a pressurized domed membrane is in the environment, sealing the wellbore from a reservoir pressure of 9,000 psi (62 MPa), the domed membrane can be burst when fluid pressure is applied from equipment on a surface that is 10,501 psi (70 MPa) or more (differential pressure greater than 1,500 psi (10 MPa) controlled by the operator. Similarly, pressure testing on the convex side of 1,000 psi (7 MPa) domed membrane the wound can be torn when applied 2501 psi (17 MPa) or more on the concave side (differential greater than 1500 psi (10 MPa). These examples show how to design a burst pressure drop so that there is a small (approximately 10-25% of the maximum pressure that the convex side must withstand) but significant (such that the probability of accidental rupture decreases) the pressure drop that can be applied to the concave side of the domed membrane to ensure its rupture in a controlled mode IU (using fluid pressure control applied to the concave side). Thus, the bursting dome-shaped membrane can be deliberately torn when the pressure is applied selectively from the surface to the concave side 20 to provide for the destruction of the domed membrane, rupture and destruction of the previously formed seal. To provide this characteristic group of performance indicators, a ceramic burst dome-shaped membrane 100 with an outer diameter of 2 3/8 ʺ (60 mm) should have a wall thickness of 40 dome-shaped membrane of approximately 0.2575ʺ (7 mm) into which grooves extend by 0.075ʺ (2 mm) , and lines 70, 90 of the element are molded or cut in the wall 40 of the domed membrane, if milled, for example, with an end spherical mill at 0.030ʺ (1 mm) to a depth of about 0.075ʺ (2 mm).

In order to prevent the formation of dangerous large irregular fragments of the material of the dome membrane, which may linger in the downhole equipment or tubing, clog or damage them, when a bursting domed membrane is destroyed, a special profile can be made on the surface of the bursting domed membrane 100 in a preferred embodiment, the profile can be made in the outer surface of the convex side 30. The profile 50 may be a symmetrical lattice of elem enty 60 in the outer surface of the convex side 30, or may be any suitable profile, and may be performed at the stage of casting or molding in the manufacture or machining or cut or otherwise made. In an embodiment, the elements can be milled using a 0.030ʺ (0.8 mm) end spherical cutter with a radius of 0.015ʺ (0.4 mm) or a 0.020ʺ (0.5 mm) end spherical cutter with a radius of 0.010ʺ ( 0.3 mm) in a square grid pattern with lines of 70 elements spaced approximately 3/16 inch (5 mm) apart.

Lines 70 of profile elements a 50 in the surface of the convex side 30 of the bursting dome-shaped membrane 100 have, in a preferred embodiment, a radius of 80 which is also a line of 90 elements in the same surface 30, the radius of 80 being approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the assembly (not shown). In a preferred embodiment, for use in a tubing string with an outer diameter of 2 3 / 8ʺ (60 mm) with a seal with an inner diameter of 2ʺ (51 mm), this radius 80 should be approximately equal to 2ʺ (51 mm). Indicated provides for the destruction of the bursting dome-shaped membrane to maintain a clean channel formed by the radius 80 of the line 90 of the element, when the destroyed parts of the bursting dome-shaped membrane are destroyed and removed from the seal, leaving, essentially, the passage without obstacles.

The bursting dome-shaped membrane 100 may have a wall 95 extending along the outer periphery for attachment to an assembly (not shown).

The above embodiments of the invention are only examples. Changes, modifications and variations, those skilled in the art can implement for particular embodiments, without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the attached claims.

Claims (21)

1. The bursting dome-shaped membrane made with the possibility of attaching to a working pipeline formed by the tubing string in the well, the bursting dome-shaped membrane is intended to be used as a destructible seal made of destructible material containing: i) a monolithic body of circular shape with a cross section of a domed shape with a) the convex side; b) the concave side; c) an attached peripheral support ring for mounting on the seal on the inside of the tubing string or fitting on the tubing; ii) one side of the domed surface of the body having a plurality of elements formed in the domed surface to direct the fracture of the bursting domed membrane; iii) a portion of the body formed between the convex side and the concave side, forming a breakable portion being brittle, capable of withstanding the high pressure of the fluid applied to the convex side, and fracture when the fluid pressure applied from the equipment near the wellhead on the surface to the concave side, exceeds the threshold value; iv) a destructible portion made with the possibility of destruction as a result of direct application of pressure directly to the concave side, which exceeds the threshold value, and made with the possibility of destruction into predetermined fragments formed at least partially by elements included in the surface of the domed membrane. 2. A bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 1, which is made of ceramic. 3. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 1, in which the set of elements includes at least one of: i) an element with an annular profile, with a diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubing; ii) a series of symmetrical grooves in the profile, forming the size of the fragments into which the discontinuous dome-shaped membrane should collapse upon rupture; iii) a profile of grooves, or inclusions, or ridges in the surface of the dome-shaped membrane, contributing to the rupture of the dome-shaped membrane in certain places for the formation of specified fragments of fragments. 4. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 1 with a support ring configured to interface with a retainer in the tubing string so that the dome-shaped membrane can be inserted and sealed, torn, then removed and replaced so that the breakable seal provided by the bursted-domed membrane can be easily repeated. 5. A bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 1, which is configured to withstand high pressure fluid applied to the convex side. 6. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 5, which withstands a high fluid pressure of approximately 10,000 psi. 7. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 1, configured to burst when the pressure of the fluid applied to the concave side exceeds the pressure of the fluid on the convex side by a pressure drop. 8. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 7, for which the pressure drop is 10-25% of the maximum pressure withstood by the convex side. 9. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 1, having a diameter suitable for use in a tubing with an inner diameter of 2 3/8 inches. 10. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 1, having a diameter suitable for use in a tubing with an inner diameter of 2 7/8 inches. 11. The bursting dome-shaped membrane according to claim 3, in which the symmetrical grooves are made in the form of a mesh profile.

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